Some Updated Information on the Innocence of Muslims Affair

Adam L. Silverman, PhD*

The Innocence of Muslims affair (incident?  incidents?) has become a fast moving story that seems to get more fantastical the more that gets reported.  It is now pretty clear that Sam Bacile is not an Israeli, Israeli American, or even Jewish.  Bacile is, apparently, a pseudonym for a Nakoula Basselly Nakoula - who appears to be an Egyptian emigre and was involved in this project with a number of naturalized American Copts and native born American Evangelicals.  Members of the cast have clearly indicated that the film was supposed to be/originally about Coptic persecution and was overdubbed in both English and Arabic with the anti-Islamic dialogue that has led to some serious problems in Egypt, Libya, and Yemen including the death of four American foreign service personnel.  The thirteen minute clip, posted to You Tube in July, began to gather interest over the past several days due to its being promoted by both Quran burning advocate Terry Jones and Egyptian-American Copt Morris Sadek.  The fatal anti-American violence in Libya may have partially been the result of various media and extremist movement sources claiming that the video had been produced for the 9-11 remembrances and was being widely shown on American TV on that day. 

While the story will continue to undergo change over the next several days as more facts come to light, the real issues are how does the US adjust its strategies and policies in the Middle East in response to these activities.  It also demonstrates very clearly that no matter what America's official positions, messaging, and actions are they can all be overcome by events regardless of whether they are unofficial messaging being transmitted by Americans - official or otherwise or the activities of the actual actors on the ground in the Middle East.

*Adam L. Silverman, PhD is the Culture and Foreign Language Advisor at the US Army War College (USAWC).  The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of USAWC and/or the US Army.

Comments

[William R. Cumming]

Social Media and WEB 2.0 a new threat to the International Order?

[r whitman]

Give me a break. Yesterday Sam Basile was an Israeli, today he is an Egyptian, tommorrow he will be a LGM fom Mars. I feel like I am ass-deep in disinformation.Doesn't anybody tell the truth?

[The Twisted Genius]

Here's a pretty good "who's who" run down of those known to be involved with the film. The big questions for me is who is using who and who is ultimately behind it. I smell a sinister information operation behind this whole thing.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/13/friends-of-sam-bacile-a-whos-who-of-the-innocence-of-muslims-film-project/

[Fred]

They are a communications tool. It should come as no surprise that someone opposed to our policies could use these tools to spread information, false information or inflame a mob. There was a link in the comments section recently related to our over-reliance on technology and how it can turn into a negative tool. These recents events are a prime example. Our opponents are using the same tools? How do you counter their action – certainly not by abandoning our principles nor with trying out another fancy IT gadget. The post is worth a read.
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-monkeywrench-wars.html

[Adam L Silverman]

TTG has the right of this one. It unfolds like an influence operation, albeit a strange one. Even the Sam Klein (self described in one of the links above as an Evangelical Christian) interviewed in one of the links told the interviewer that this whole thing (the identification of who is responsible) is a disinformation campaign. I brought up Klein's religion as just based on name you'd think- Jewish? Same with this Morris Sadek. Coptic would not be my first thought even thought Sadek is a cognate in both Hebrew and Arabic. And then there's the Joe Israel guy who makes an appearance in another interview (the Atlantic Wire one) - also not Jewish, apparently...

Avigdor Lieberman even had his spokesman denounce the film, announce here is not now any Israeli citizen with the name of Bacile, etc. Given Lieberman's rather bellicose and extreme views pertaining to Arabs and Muslims, he moved fast.
If this wasn't being used to justify killing and attacking American personnel, Americans, and others I'd think it was a really poorly written attempt at a spy comedy...

[Adam L Silverman]

Make that Steve Klein... Too many names to try to keep straight.

[The beaver]

If you can go up the money trail then you will know who is responsible but I guess some have smartened up since some got burnt wrt other Islamophobic videos from 2006. So I guess it is CYA and don't ask for a tax receipt.

[toto]

If this thing does turn out to be associated with some Copts, Allah help them all.

[William R. Cumming]

Quwation? Where is the official disavowal of the film by the US government or do those appointed not use the web for rumor control [spin]? Or even better the truth?

[William R. Cumming]

It would be interesting for all foreign policy types to give their analysis of the foreign governments that favor Romney or Obama!

By the way there is no effective policing of foreign campaign contributions by the FEC!If you disagree please provide citations to law, regulations, staffing and funding of that policing remebering always that it is the 50 states that elect the US President with their individual voting systems.

[Medicine Man]

It's entirely possible that this film wasn't initially intended as a piece of agitprop, or at least not one for Middle Eastern audiences, but got dubbed and re-purposed into one at the 10th hour. How do you anticipate this kind of manipulation if one can be thrown together so covertly?

[Tony]

"It's entirely possible that this film wasn't initially intended as a piece of agitprop, or at least not one for Middle Eastern audiences..."
From Satanic Verses of Salman Rushdie, Caricature of Muhammad by Danish cartoonist, burning of Quran by Florida pastor to this, the reaction of Muslin world has been the same. Are we testing the tolerance of Muslims?? The question, I think, is whos is to benefit the most???

[turcopolier]

tony

"...the tolerance of Muslims" what tolerance is that? pl

[Augustin L]

This is the unfolding of a well documented plan that calls for the fragmentation and dismemberment of the middle eastern countries, should they pose a threat to the " dominant Anglo-american interests". The unfolding play is a variation of the YINON PLAN, conceived and written by Oded Yinon in the journal of Judaism and Zionism in February 1982. The smashing of Lybia, creation of an Egyptian coptic state, the smashing of Syria, the future dissolution of Lebanon and the dissolution of Iraq. The events are unfolding according to plans. While some policy makers are well aware of the plan and are only too happy to facilitate the fullfilment of this diabolical plan, the vast majority of the actors involved are unwitting dupes and are in way over their heads. May the great architect help us all, the coming geopolitical unrest coupled with the disintegration of the dollar based financial system is a bad omen for all of humanity. Unless you happen to be part of the cosmopolitan oligarchy who has stored away 25 to 30 trillions in the offshore shadow banking system.

[jonst]

I would suggest we are, indirectly, testing the god damn maturity of Muslims.

[Arun]

If I can make the citizens in the capital city of a faraway country riot without even ever setting foot there, wow, I have amazing power!!!! I simply need to find suitable blasphemy.

[trooper]

I don't think the riots are about the movie. This trailer had been up on youtube for a while. At any given time in modern culture one can find blasphemy if one goes looking for it. So, the question is who riled up the illiterates *now* and why?

[turcopolier]

trooper

That is really far too dismissive. "Illiterates?" Why, because they believe in God unlike you? pl

[Jim Ticehurst]

Looks like another Fubar for the appropiate Intelligence Agencys... Analysists...Seers...and State Dept Folks.. Cabinet Level on down...to the Tragic Loss of Our Ambassador..Staff and two Former Navy Seals in Libya looking for several hundred..or thousand missing anti Aircraft shoulder fired missles..The same type..I Suspect that took down Team 6 and support group in that Chinook in Pakistan..Which...my instincts tell me...wasd a set up..between the Rebels and an Intel/Secret Service group that had cause to be very pissed at Team 6 and the Americans right at that time...

How Tragic that we are not acting Smart..Realistic or On Alert snd Prepared for Terroriste events against reachable American Targets of Opportunity all over the middle East... on 9/11..

Egypt is no Surprise,,,,,,this is what thier Islamist Revolution was about..To Gain Power...capture the Control of a Nation...Move on to the next..more Radical Stages...They are no friends of the United States...They will take what we give them...otherwise..they laugh at us...and think we are a weak..Immoral Nation..

Libya...was the obvious easy place to stage a hard core terrorist operation...we had little security...the place is crawling with many radical ,,,dangerous hard core terrorist and jihaddists.Benghazi was thier Base...and they took our folks out easy...even having Armored Vehicles..Grenades, Rockets and staged an overwhelming 5 hour battle...They were not going to let 9/11 go by...without taking out another High Priority American Target... and get major Media Coverage..

The thing with this so called Anti Muslim Film be responsible for triggering all this..The Exposure to that film right now was no accident..It was thier alibi..for gathering in "Protest" The hatred was directed at America for allowing a film that Insulted Mohammad and Islam the way the Dub overs in the film did ...

How did all the links between this film and the Protests get coordinated all over the Middle East..? Who Payed for the Film..?
Whats the background story on the Film Writer with all these Alias Names and cover storys..? This guy Sam Bacile...down in Los Angeles...who first said he was an Israeli Jew...Then is really ID'd as Nakoula Basseley Nakoula...who says he is an Egyptian Coptic Christian...All of that would trigger alot of anger toward Isreal..the USA and as someone said...Puts the Coptics in Egypt in Great Danger now...if the MB Turns against them..becuase of this Movie..

Lotta ction here..hot and Rapid...Col. Lang has long sdaid this Train was leaving the Station..There are clear and Present Indications...who the Engineers Are...and who is Aboard...

[The Twisted Genius]

trooper,

The original video languished on YouTube for several months. At some recent point, it was dubbed into Egyptian Arabic. Then, somehow, an Egyptian satellite TV host found it and broadcasted it to his wide audience. This is from the article I linked to earlier:

"A fiery Egyptian TV host on the Islamist satellite TV channel al-Nas. [Sheik Kahled] Abdalla is reported to have set off the outrage when he broadcast a clip of the movie trailer that showed the man playing “Muhammad.” After he showed the video on Sept. 8, The Atlantic Wire reports, online views of the video soared."

That's how the illiterates were riled up.

Here's another information packed article on this mystery. It contains links to other articles that should stimulate our imaginations. Unfortunately, the important answers are not yet revealed.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/09/anti-islam-flick/all/

[Jane]

In the NYT's Lede Blog for 9/12 it is reported that:

"Sept. 6: A copy of the version of the trailer dubbed into Arabic was uploaded to another YouTube channel by The Islamic Observatory Centre in Britain, where it was viewed 90,000 times. That copy was removed from the public section of the YouTube channel on Wednesday and replaced with a video statement from the group defending its decision to post the offensive trailer."

The Lede posts the video statement in which the Islamic Observatory Centre reports that it received a copy of the video (in Arabic?) from a trusted source.

I find I am most interested in who this trusted source is and where else he might have distributed the video.

[Ursa Maior]

The question is 'Cui prodest?'.
The answer is still a mystery to me. Israel got along well with the dictators. Russians ditto. EU too. AFAIK US also.

Could it be that a person or a group got so influential, that it can change international politics against the will of nation states?

Dunno. Still too many events to unfold to see a trend.

[Tyler]

Personally, I find the media's cognitive dissonance between this event and what happened with Pussy Riot to be... well, unsurprising actually.

[jr786]

That's a bit harsh, Col., isn't it?

لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ

I know you're saying Muslims and not Islam but there's enough scriptural evidence, traditions, and historical precedent to know that these knuckleheads are hardly acting within the spirit of the Islamic 'project'.

[Clifford Kiracofe]

Information op seems possible if not plausible.

1. More details on the production of the film are needed to include its financing sources, production facilities used, and post-production.

2. More details are needed as to Morris Sadek, an Egyptian Copt emigre to the US who reportedly had his Egyptian citizenship revoked last year. For example, does Sadek have contacts and connections official or unnofficial in Israel and what about contacts with pro-Israel organizations in the US?

3. More details are needed as to how the YouTube film trailer was brought to the attention of extremist media personalities in Egypt conveniently at a time around 911. Apparently this triggered further dissemination of the trailer and news about the trailer which incited the rioting and violence.

4. Egyptian authorities barred entry to 9 Egyptian Copts including Sadek as of 12 September. One would expect US authorities to find these 9 of some interest. Perhaps the US Attorney General should contact his Egyptian counterpart for information and leads.

" CAIRO: Egypt’s attorney General Abdel Maged Mahmoud has put the names of 9 expatriate Coptic Christian Egyptians as well as American controversial anti-Islam church leader Terry Jones on a persona non-grata list barring them from entering Egypt.

The 9 Copts include Morris Sadek, a notorious figure known for his virulent attacks on Islam, Priest Morqos Aziz, Esmat Zelgah, Nabil Besadeh, Ehab Yaqoub, Jack Attalah, Nahed Metwally, Ellia Basily and Adel Riyad.

They were put on the list after cases were filed against them for allegedly participating in the hate campaigns against Islam and Muslims, according to the Attorney General’s office.

“A team of prosecutors at the high national security was formed to look into the reports and the accusations of insulting Islam and promoting extreme ideas with the aim of raising sectarian tension and insulting holy religions,” said Mahmoud in a statement released on Wednesday.

The Christians will be arrested if they attempt to arrive at any Egyptian port of entry.

The prosecutor’s office said they are also investigating reports filed against them regarding what they have published on social media websites insulting Islam and the Prophet Mohamed. According to the cases against them, they took part in distributing the anti-Islam film that depicts the Prophet as a pedophile and homosexual."

http://www.bikyamasr.com/77359/egypt-bars-9-expatriate-coptic-christians-from-entering-country/

5. Did the YouTube trailer assist those behind the attack on our Embassy in Libya by creating an opportune psychological climate and street demonstrators as cover? Did this terrorist group have some advance notice of the extremist Egyptian media personality's denunciation of the trailer? Did this influence the operational plans of the terrorist group in Libya?